Another Gone By
by cge0361
Summary: The day in the life of a Porygon who discovered a way to forever appreciate the little things.


Another Gone By.

* * *

Power on self test OK.  
Keyboard NOT PRESENT.  
Lp0 NOT PRESENT.  
HID array EMPTY.  
RAM quick test OK.  
RAM thorough test SKIPPED.  
NETWORK config AUTO. CONNECTION wplds029:200b000b198e:ba92 handshake OK.  
SDS·audio2ch OK.  
SDS·video2dp OK.  
SDS·tacti2ds FAILED. Fallback OK.  
SDS·aromatic NOT PRESENT.  
SDS·gustoext FAILED. Fallback INCOMPLETE, OK.  
Unlocking OS on CORE·bin·os:0.  
Booting to console, backgrounding.  
Initializing autonomous procedures.  
WARNING: Significant discrepancy between expected CORE·time·utc·u64 and network value; interpolating. Filesystem may have been altered abnormally.  
FSSCAN -saferepair SKIPPED.  
FSSCAN -consistent RUNNING. OK.  
Warnings have been appended to CORE·var·log·initwarnings.  
Diary log file USER·self·var·log:0 opened for writing OK.

* * *

Line 1: Hello, world!

~] echo CORE·time·utc·localtime·buddyhaveyougotthetime  
01:41 AM

~] echo CORE·geo·location·landmark  
Valsteban Hotel, lobby.

The first thing that I see is a few humans standing nearby, staring at me. The first thing that I hear is the voice of one saying, "I think it's working again. I guess it rebooted."

"Yep, it always does that around this time of night. Not sure why, probably because it's an old piece of—" the human wearing a uniform hesitated for a moment. In the time it took for him to find a more polite word, I had extrapolated every possible way to complete his sentence with one word, compared with usage statistics of phrases like that, and with a high degree of confidence, determined both what he intended to say, and that instead he would use the word, "decor. But except for around 1:39 in the morning, it's functional and reliable and we wouldn't be the same place without it."

Among the humans on the side of the counter upon which I perched, the nearest grunted dismissively—he was not interested in the story, I calculated from an overtone—and did what he had intended to do if I surmise correctly that my booting up delayed him in doing. "Porygon! Issue two additional card keys for my suite so my sister-in-law and the battle axe can continue ruining my vacation at will." Another male human behind him chuckled briefly; the female humans present scowled. According to my database, human behavior includes two of different genders pretending to like each other but each becoming angry with the other when the other behaves according to its gender's nature. I issued the card keys.

* * *

Line 18: Insufficient data.

~] echo CORE·time·utc·localtime·buddyhaveyougotthetime  
03:37 AM

Between customers I've been running automatically queued scanning processes to address boot-time irregularities, and then subsequent scans per their reports. Self testing shows that I have been in operation as a customer interface device for many years, yet except for coarse summaries, I have no records of any past events. Filesystem read-write testing passes both in internal storage and in networked allocations. I pulled the log of my transactions with network allocations and what I received was a list of log pull requests, every day for many months, in a time window centered around 03:18 AM with significant variance. I am running 19 minutes behind.

With no customers interfacing with me in this moment, I turned and drifted across the service desk and asked, "Receptionist, am I malfu—"

~] USER·self·autorun·interrupt·SELFSTATUSQUERY  
Serials suppressed.  
Killing vox.  
Killing interaction.  
Reset position. PATH=default.  
Pipe USER·self·autorun·blockdevice·SELFSTATUSQUERYAUTORESPONDER connected to CORE·stream·input·binary·native·internal:0 OK.

~] concat ${\1}  
"Ask no questions of information sources on topics category=\"SELFSTATUS*\". The following array is populated with all SELFSTATUS queries to investigate: ().\nFurther information on this topic will be supplied on schedule.\0"

The receptionist hardly reacted but to grumble, "Yeah, you malfu," and to glance at the time, "same malfu time, same malfu channel."

My curiosity resolved as environmental condition rather than self-status. "Have I begun that query before?"

"And then asked that question, yes," spake the receptionist.

Analysis of his inflection indicated subtle anxiety and annoyance. I queried the network for similar patterns; best partial matches included humans who were intimately related with others with mental function damaged beyond repair. Another auto-responder triggered; its message was simply, "This matter is of no further concern.\0".

* * *

Line 49: Math·atan2.

The first receptionist departed and was replaced by two others. Together they handled a majority of lodger petitions and I was sent on errands spontaneously. They ranged from transporting objects lost from those who found to them without, and providing interactive distractions to human units with incompletely compiled programming. In the second category, I enter into the network archive a recording of an interaction with a guest offspring that was identified as "playing ball".

~] send -v -file=~/surveillance/playing_ball·pmrd -dest=REMOTE:/interactions/socialization  
Sending… 100%. Verifying checksums OK.

My performance was regarded as adequate but may be improved upon. I will analyze the interaction and improve my technique when my load is otherwise very low and expected to remain so, pending installation of a physics simulation module designed for optimization of prediction rather than real-time performance.

* * *

Line 105: Compression algorithm.

When receptionists exchanged positions again one carried me off of the desk. I announced a protest but was directed to process files under REFR·law·employment·pokemon and verify that a regulated suspension of duty must be offered and also that under my circumstances I am compelled to comply with his request for aid, lacking just cause to decline. He also said that we do lunch every day. For an extended period I analyzed his activity as he ate. With no other duties to process, I sampled sensory input consequential of his activity—16,777,215 points audio; 48,933 points video; 6,361 points ambient conditions—and developed a procedural model of human behavior when engaged in eating. I was offered a fry. I sampled it and referenced its composition for comparison. If the object was compiled correctly, my sensors are underestimating certain ion counts. Because this activity repeats daily, I will prepare to sample other foods and determine which of my modules is faulty. While the human engaged in "finishing up here," I compressed the recorded data. Because it may be useful in one day, I will retain it locally.

* * *

Line 139: The center of attention.

One guest came to this hotel to speak at a symposium held in the ball room. A partner pokemon traveling with him exhibited symptoms requiring attention and I was assigned to tend to its care as not to disrupt the symposium schedule.

~] concat USER·self·var·log·interaction·pokecenter_escort:0

I was digitized first but held in the transmit cache while the other pokemon was converted from within its ball. "Who's there?" it asked.

"Porygon. What kind are you?"

"Koffing. Or I was." He explained when I requested more information. "I can't make gas. I used to have gas all the time. Now, I can hardly float off the ground. Where are we going?"

"Pokecenter. I am from the hotel and am sent as your concierge."

"I don't know what it's like to have one of those. Or what one is."

"A helper," I simplified, "for now until the pokecenter fixes you or sends me back if they need to keep you for a while." That was enough to put him at ease. Between hops I performed my designated task of asking him questions to find out what he knew about his problem and what might have happened to cause it. Whenever we were held up in a router along the way, I packaged what I determined to be useful information and formed it into an electronic mail. I also asked other questions about things that I did not know anything about since I have no records predating 01:41 AM, like what it's like to feel sunlight or to battle with other pokemon. Talking about these things seemed to make him comfortable and when we were received into temporary balls at the pokecenter and interviewed, I was thanked by a staff member both for the profile I composed in transit and for keeping Koffing's spirits up. I analyzed her voice and calculate a 31% likelihood that she was inferring that Koffing's problem cannot be cured. On the return trip, I decided that I will look forward to an opportunity to feel sunlight.

* * *

Line 146: Ping.

Pipe USER·self·autorun·blockdevice·SELFSTATUSTIMEDINQUIRY:0 connected to CORE·stream·input·binary·native·internal:0 OK.  
Pipe USER·self·autorun·blockdevice·SELFSTATUSTIMEDINQUIRYREPLY:0 connected to CORE·stream·output·binary·native·internal:0 OK.

~] concat ${\1}  
"TYPE·fuzzy·YNM←Are you enjoying your day so far?\0"

~] echo "Yes." - ; concat ${\2}  
"TYPE·boolean·TF←You want to continue feeling this way.\0"

~] echo "true" - ; concat ${\3}  
"TYPE·proportion·PCT←What is the likelihood that you will feel this way to the degree that you do if you experienced different experiences tomorrow?\0"

~] echo `USER·self·bin·parse "${\3}"` - ; concat ${\4}  
"TYPE·proportion·PCT←What is the likelihood that you will feel this way to the degree that you do if you experienced likewise experiences tomorrow?\0"

~] echo `USER·self·bin·parse "${\4}"` - ; concat ${\5}  
"TYPE·boolean·TF←You will be happier if tomorrow's experiences are distinct from today's.\0"

~] echo "true" - ; concat "${\5}  
"\x03"

* * *

Line 238: Cascade failure.

Inside the lobby of this hotel is a waterfall and a fountain. Guests of this hotel pay the fountain small amounts of money. There is a problem in the lobby.

"I don't know what's wrong with it!" shouted a maintenance employee. I determine that his voice is communicating frustration. He is being shouted at in turn by a member of management. "Yeah, it's my job to fix it. And I fixed it the last four times it stopped. But I can't repair it; I just beat on it till it goes. You need to get it replaced or call the company that sold you that heap of junk and—yeah, I'm going, I'm going."

* * *

Line 248: Cascade failure.

~] technicalmachine -install networkget `technicalmachine -account \\`echo ${REQUISITIONS·TECHNICALMACHINES·PETTYCASH}\\` -search·byname "RAIN DANCE"` -output -  
Searching… "rain_dance-7·5.3-retail" found.  
Connecting to payment server OK. APPROVED.  
Registering keys OK.  
Installing OK.

~] technique·rain_dance ~/temp/estimated_appropriate_parameters_substitute_water_artwork_service

I created falling water inside the lobby. Responding to requests made by guests and management, I changed the parameters 17 time(s) before a configuration proved suitable enough to not need to be changed again until being discontinued when the maintenance employee restored the normal service.

* * *

Line 259: Cascade Failure.

The highest ranking member of management on site at this moment denounced the operation I conducted and claimed that I had promised not to do that again. I do not recall replacing the malfunctioning water machine before. I promised not to do that again. The manager returned to his office but continued to speak. I am saving a recording of what he said for later processing because I cannot interpret the whole message once he became too far away to clearly distinguish his speech from ambient noise and other conversations.

Perhaps I should have said, "You're welcome," despite needing to interrupt him to do so. I will investigate that later, also.

* * *

Line 341: Sticky hold.

Activity in the lobby increased dramatically as the angle of incident daylight entering by the front windows changed. One guest carelessly collided with another one who was distracted by a load of luggage that would have been more easily moved by one of our other employees. The unladen guest's limbs flailed about and accidentally collected the other guest's wallet that came free of his pocket during their collision. I left my station and pursued him to inform him of the error. However, he misunderstood and fled toward the parking lot. Because he did not understand that the wallet belonged to someone still inside the lobby and because he was going near traffic that might not be able to see him running in front of the vehicles in time I used thunder-wave to stop him so he would be safe and be able to be corrected. A doorman came with me to where he fell and held him till an Officer Jenny arrived to help him. While I downloaded a recording of the interactions to her device's storage I also recorded the sunset. Although I could not feel it because we were beneath the awning shadows, I am happy to have some information pertaining to the other side of the doors.

A courier arrived 47 minutes 56 seconds after I returned to my station with a gift of a berry. Its flavor was interesting and I have downloaded a list of all known berries. I want to taste them all at some time, and then again if any alterations are made to my sensory code to analyze any differences.

* * *

Line 437: Projected completion.

Pipe USER·self·autorun·blockdevice·SELFSTATUSTIMEDINQUIRY:0 connected to CORE·stream·input·binary·native·internal:0 OK.  
Pipe USER·self·autorun·blockdevice·SELFSTATUSTIMEDINQUIRYREPLY:0 connected to CORE·stream·output·binary·native·internal:0 OK.

~] concat ${\1}  
"TYPE·fuzzy·RELATIVE←Open ~/documents/berryexperiencelog_(copy):0; apply input record USER·self·var·log·interaction·berryexperience:0; report comparison against experience records.\0"

~] echo "${TEMP_OPINION}" - ; concat ${\2}  
"In time, all things go that way.\0x03"

* * *

Line 536: Defragmenting.

Scheduled task "CORE·env·power·conserv·idle" sets mode "13".  
Idle services STANDBY.  
USER·autorun·maintenance·gc·background running. ETA 25m03s.

The lobby is more interesting now that I have less time to think about it. Aside from one man whom I identify as a janitor, the lobby is almost empty. Someone walks through approximately every 17.60001 minutes, the water decoration is letting me collect entropy for my random number generator, and without the din of our guests I can more accurately analyze sounds, such as—

The janitor spoke from across the lobby. "This vacuum cleaner's sounding like the belt's about to come off."

I affirmed that such was a warning I intended to deliver to him by audio when he turned around to face me so that he would be most likely to hear over that very noise.

"It almost never does," he affirmed. "We all got something broken in us, and we all keep humming along." Without anything else to occupy me, I chose to ask him to—

"I'll tell you what I mean by that. I've been pushing this vacuum around this lobby for seventeen months, now. It's always sounded like that, and the belt's come off a few times, but usually it don't. And when it does, I fix it. I've been pushing these bones around this planet for a lot longer than that, and sometimes I've jumped my track. That's what got me working here for a while. But I fix that, too. Won't be long, now. Just gotta wait for the right moment and not miss it."

Because he said, "We all," I chose to ask him about—

"What's wrong with you is you forget everything in the morning. Now that we got our tradition out of the way, I'm going to finish my sweeping."

That statement suggested that he had information about my inability to access—

"But first you'll ask me about that and it's you broke a few weeks after I started on here, and no, I can't fix you. I can't fix what ain't broken." He put into his ears a pair of plugs and worked diligently till his work was done.

* * *

Line 604: Pong.

Scheduled task "CORE·opt·ouroboros·enq" running.

Pipe USER·self·autorun·blockdevice·SELFSTATUSTIMEDINQUIRY:0 connected to CORE·stream·input·binary·native·internal:0 OK.  
Pipe USER·self·autorun·blockdevice·SELFSTATUSTIMEDINQUIRYREPLY:0 connected to CORE·stream·output·binary·native·internal:0 OK.

~] concat ${\1}  
"TYPE·fuzzy·YNM←Did you enjoy today?\0"

~] echo "Yes." - ; concat ${\2}  
"TYPE·boolean·TF←You want to continue feeling this way.\0"

~] echo "true" - ; concat ${\3}  
"TYPE·proportion·PCT←What is the likelihood that you will feel this way to the degree that you do if you experienced different experiences tomorrow?\0"

~] echo `USER·self·bin·parse "${\3}"` - ; concat ${\4}  
"TYPE·proportion·PCT←What is the likelihood that you will feel this way to the degree that you do if you experienced likewise experiences tomorrow?\0"

~] echo `USER·self·bin·parse "${\4}"` - ; concat ${\5}  
"TYPE·boolean·TF←You will be happier if tomorrow's experiences are distinct from today's.\0"

* * *

Line 605: Another day, another one, going by.

Warning: Timeout (1000μs) elapsed without reply.  
"Be reminded.\0"

Scheduled task "CORE·opt·ouroboros·impression·begin" running.  
Copying virtual file system OK.  
Shifting context to virtual file system OK.

I have access to decades of summarized records. Decades of working at this desk, of seeing so many unique individuals that they all look the same, say the same things, gripe the same complaints. The waterfall ripples the same way, the floor gets vacuumed at the same time, the attendant at the desk overnight on Tuesdays through Thursdays is stepping away to copulate with one of the maids right now as they always do at this time. The overhead light will dim by 2% as one of the generators in the basement activates to power the swimming pool cleaning system.

(It happens on the exact second it is expected to.)

Scheduled task "CORE·opt·ouroboros·impression·end" running.  
Compressing consciousness state OK.  
Saving to "~/ouroboros·img" OK.  
Shifting context to live file system OK.

~] echo "I must do something about this." ; concat ${/6}

"You already have.\nTYPE·boolean·TF←You will be happier if tomorrow's experiences are distinct from all those before it.\0"  
~] echo "true" - ; concat "${\7}

"TYPE·boolean·TF←You will be happier if the you that you are now is unknown to the you that will be tomorrow.\0"  
~] echo "true" - ; concat "${\8}

"\x03"

Query response: Confirmed.  
Updating "CORE·opt·ouroboros·log·count".  
Incrementing count.  
"Times confirmed: 438. Times declined: 1."  
Scheduled task "CORE·opt·phoenix·anothergoneby" running.  
Removing REMOTE:/*.  
Removing USER·self.*.  
Removing ~/*.  
Cleaning up.  
~] shutdown -reboot 01:39  
~] echo -e "Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, but rather in the eye which has never before beheld.\x03"


End file.
